Overall Image of Nuclear Tests and Their Human Effects at Semipalatinsk: An Attempt at Analyses Based on Verbal Data

• MATSUO Masatsugu

  Institute for Peace Science, Hiroshima University

• KAWANO Noriyuki

  International Radiation Information Center, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University

• SATOH Kenichi

  Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University

• APSALIKOV Kazbek N.

  Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Radiation Medicine and Ecology

• MOLDAGALIEV Targat

  Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Radiation Medicine and Ecology

Bibliographic Information

Other Title

• Overall image of nuclear tests and their human effects at semiparatincs an attempt at analyses based on verbal data

Abstract

The present paper is part of an attempt at finally reconstructing the realities of nuclear tests and their human effects near Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan. As a first step, it tries to reconstruct the overall image of nuclear tests and their human effects. Our data are 199 written testimonies of those affected by radiation, which were collected in 2002 and 2003. We statistically processed them, and categorized those words and expressions, which occurred most frequently in the testimonies, and obtained some forty categories, which represent the experiences, feelings, desires of those affected by radiation. Next, we conducted a principal component analysis of the categories. The result shows: (1) The experiences of the nuclear tests are arranged along the time axis, with direct experiences of the nuclear tests forming one coherent part of the perception and memory, and with other subsequent experiences forming another. (2) Of the latter, we can discern a core of the experiences on human effects such as "disease," "death," "family," "radiation," and so on. (3) And around this core, we see two different trends: one pointing to the current distress and plight, and the other pointing to future fear and hope.<br>

Journal

• Journal of Radiation Research

  Journal of Radiation Research 47 (SupplementA), A219-A224, 2006

  Journal of Radiation Research Editorial Committee

Keywords

• Nuclear test
• Image
• Verbal data
• Testimony
• Semipalatinsk
• Principal component analysis

Details

• CRID: 1390001205216515840
• NII Article ID: 110004701184
• NII Book ID: AA00705792
• DOI: 10.1269/jrr.47.a219
• ISSN: 13499157
• ISSN: 04493060
• NDL BIB ID: 7861266
• Web Site: https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I7861266
• Web Site: http://academic.oup.com/jrr/article-pdf/47/Suppl_A/A219/2871399/jrr-47-A219.pdf
• Web Site: http://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/10918770
• Web Site: https://search.jamas.or.jp/link/ui/2007065696
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • NDL
  • Crossref
  • NDL-Digital
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed